February 10, 2017

Travel + Leisure writer Caroline Praderio says that we’ve been burning our candles the wrong way all our life based on her experience working for Yankee Candle. That sucks since luxury candles cost a pretty penny. It’s not enough that you get something top dollar; you have to use them correctly to enhance the overall experience.

If you’re the type who gets annoyed by burn marks on the side of your candle jar and wonder why your candle’s top is always uneven, this one is for you.

#1 Cut it before you light it

After you blow out the candle, you tend to leave the burnt wick alone until you light it again. This explains why the scent smells funny next time you light it—because you are essentially burning a used wick. A clean, white wick makes sure your candle burns evenly. Also, trim the wick if the flame touches the jar because it leaves behind burn marks that mix in with the scent of your candle.

#2 Invest some time for candle-burning

It’s called a luxury candle not only because of the price and the quality, but also due to the purpose. You are meant to have it lit for a long, relaxing time and not just a hurried need to fill the room with a sweet scent. Make sure you have ample time to burn a candle evenly across the surface to avoid tunneling. Tunneling is when your wick sinks into a hole in the middle of the candle that gets deeper and deeper, eventually leaving you with no wick but still a lot of wax.

#3 Know the best wick size

If you are buying a one-wick candle, make sure it’s a small one. A single-wick candle that has a seven centimeter diameter or more will never burn evenly and will always tunnel. For bigger candles, make sure they have more than two wicks and that burn all of them at the same time during use.

#4 Position your candle strategically

It may seem a bit obvious, but avoid placing your candle near fans, ACs, or places where people often walk back and forth. Disturbing the flame will leave black marks and will make the surface of your candle uneven. It will also make your candle more prone to causing accidents or just dying out.